Sort of a delayed bitterness with each sip, this beer wants to talk flavor first before it throws down the bitterness. This ended up being a really tasty Imperial IPA with enough balance so that our palates weren’t decimated. Flying Dog should keep on playing around with hops; more than often they end up with treats like this.

This could have a lot going for it (and I'm a local fan of Flying Dog) but this Imperial IPA is just trying a bit too hard and comes across a bit harsh, especially on the finish where it is a bit stinging and astringent.

12oz bottle. Crystal clear golden copper with a rich bright-white head. This retains with a frothy creaminess, leaving sticky sudsy lace behind. The aroma is a fresh blast of floral notes, grapefruit, pine and underlying herbal tones. Neutral malt sweetness sits along the back. This smells quite bitter in the nose. The taste is straight up zesty grapefruit, resins and herbal character. A bit of a malt backbone helps balance this but man; the bitterness on this really comes on strong in the finish. The mouthfeel is medium bodied and crisp on the tongue with more of a slick creaminess on the edges. The higher alcohol here is well hid, mostly coming out in that bitter finish. This was certainly decent. Strong hop flavors for sure but this could have used a bit more malt activity to help round out the corners. For $10 a sixer though, I’ll definitely be coming back.